Haunts of the Heart
by Wildwalker
Summary: An AU Chack - Jack Spicer X Chase Young - drabble. Warning! Yaoi! Boy X Boy! Summary inside. Extensive hiatus, possibly discontinued. I tend to work on chapter 9 sporadically, give up, and then return to it 6 months later *Embarrased sweatdrop*
1. It Began with Loss

Welcome to Haunts of the Heart! This is my first drabble in anything Xiaolin Showdown, as well as my first Chack (Jack Spicer X Chase Young) fic. I hope you all enjoy!

Summary: When Jack Spicer, should-be heir to the Spicer fortune, finds out that his parents have passed away, he nervously but eagerly goes to collect what they have left him. However, he's sorely disappointed to only inherit 1 of the Spicer mansions, along with everything - and everyone - in it. On one stormy night, he's about to realize just how alone he really is!

Warnings: It's a yaoi. Typical warnings that go along with those kind of fics. So if you're not in to homosexual fics, please leave now. Do not flame me, because I did warn you and I did tell you the shipping, so it should be clear that this is a boy X boy fic. Also, there'll be smut later on if anyone cares to stick around long enough for me to post that far. I'll be posting in parts, and I'll be posting on this rather sporatically, just so you know.

Disclaimer: I have not and probably never should own Xiaolin Showdown! Jack Spicer and Chase Young belong to whoever created Xiaolin Showdown. All the nameless characters were spur of the moment creations by me, though I will be adding an OC much later on in this fic. Read on!

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><p><strong>It Began with Loss...<strong>

"What? My parents are dead?"

"That's right," confirmed a man wearing a brown leather trench coat over a black business suit, "Happened just last night. Your mom and dad dropped dead of a heart attack, they did. At the same time, too. Quite strange, really. How many cases can you think of where a married couple just drop dead of heart attacks at exactly the same time?"

Ruby-colored eyes blinked wide in disbelief at the older man dressed in a business suit and brown trench coat before their owner, a young man of nineteen with sheet-white skin dressed in similar apparel to the older man, regained his composure. He was a business man – a successful one, at that – and he was used to sudden surprises like this.

The fact that both of his parents died so suddenly without prior evidence to warn of their fate surprised the young man, but it did not disturb him the way it should have. To be honest, he could care less if they were dead or not. His parents had been absent for most of his childhood, and he'd learned at a young age to break off most of his relationships with his nearly non-existent parental figures.

"Man, I told them you wouldn't be shocked," the older man snorted, "But those lawyers didn't listen. They insisted that you'd take the news better from someone that knew you well. Hey, that's what friends are for, right?"

"… Lawyers?" the young man asked dumbly, his red eyes blank.

"Maybe you're not so fine," his friend stated, arching an eyebrow at his younger companion in concern, "You ok, Jack? You look pale."

That was all it took to break the spell of the younger man's confusion. His ruby eyes narrowed at his friend as he scowled at the poor joke.

"You think?" Jack snorted, rolling his ruby eyes in exasperation as he replied sarcastically, "I guess I am a little pale. It couldn't have anything to do with the fact that I'm _albino_."

"Alright, alright, lighten up on the glaring," his friend huffed, "I get your point. I just haven't seen you zone out like that in a long time, not since you first started your tech business and made me your partner. You're normally so cool and calm, it's hard to tell when something really phases you."

"Never mind that," Jack snapped, "You said lawyers?"

"That's right," the older man confirmed again, "Your parents hired some lawyers to draft and read their will upon passing."

"Will, huh?" Jack mused, "You think they left me anything good?"

"Jack, man, your parents were rich!" his friend snorted, "They had loads of cash! And you're their only child. If that doesn't make you the heir to the Spicer fortune, nothing will, man."

"I don't know," Jack mused, "My parents never really showed much favor towards me. Especially after… that incident…"

"What, when they found you smooching with the son of one of their business partners?" his friend chuckled, "For being such terrible parents, I never would have thought they'd be so judgmental about you being gay and all."

At that, the older man broke out into chortles, doubling over in his mirth. A slight rosy flush of pink in Jack's cheeks quickly disappeared as anger replaced his embarrassment.

"Stop laughing at me!" Jack snapped, "I assume you don't want to lose your job, do you?"

"No, sir!" the older man declared in a soldier-like fashion, straightening until he stood perfectly still, though there was still an amused twinkle in his eyes.

"Good," Jack muttered, "Now, if you're competent enough to handle the business for one day, I think I'll meet with my parents' lawyers tomorrow and see what they left me."

"Sure thing," his friend/partner assured, "You have fun with that while I cover for you back at the office."

"Right, now if you don't mind, I think I'd like to catch up on a little bit of sleep before tomorrow," Jack announced.

With that, Jack dismissed himself from their meeting on the wharf. His friend blew him a teasing kiss before turning and walking the other way to his car. Jack shrugged of the gesture, knowing full well it was his friend's way of making fun of him for being gay. Instead, he chose to walk along the wharf for a while. He had originally planned to supervise another shipment of metal and circuitry coming in when his partner had requested that they stay for a little bit longer to discuss some personal business in private, away from the office.

Now that he was alone, Jack allowed himself to contemplate more thoroughly on the information he'd just received. So his parents were dead. It really didn't bother him in the slightest. He had always been just shy of fully resenting and hating them for not being there for him when he needed them.

What interested him was the mention of their will. He might be a successful business owner with a company that made millions of dollars in profit each year, but the fortune of his parents made his income look like pennies in comparison.

So, if his friend was correct, as the only Spicer heir, Jack was the most likely candidate to inherit the Spicer fortune. Assuming that his parents had forgiven him for being himself, he definitely had a chance of getting the money and everything else that came with it.

Half smiling to himself, Jack turned on his heel, his black trench coat flowing behind him as he walked along the wharf to where his car was waiting.

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><p><span>Jack's in for a nasty surprise, I'll tell you that much. Who likes the fic so far? Please at least review to say whether you liked it or not - unless you intend to flame! Flaming is not appreciated and unnecessary, seeing as I'll continue to write what I want whether you like it or not! Just like you are entitled to your opinion, I am entitled to write whatever I want.<span>


	2. Scandal!

Admittedly I wasn't planning on updating so soon, but I just couldn't resist after receiving such an encouraging review! Thank you to everyone who's read part 1, and to Demonmaster9090 for your much appreciated review! Onward to part 2 of... I have no idea how many parts there'll be. XD Onward, then!

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><p><strong>Scandal!<strong>

"We have finished examining the will, Mr. Spicer," the first lawyer announced.

Jack stared at him with a ruby-eyed glare as if to say, 'Yeah, I figured that, so get on with it already!'. The two men sat down across the table from him, laying a file of papers between them.

"Your parents will… Made it very clear what they wished to have done with their fortune and possessions at this point," the second lawyer informed.

"So? Do I inherit the entire thing?" Jack demanded, getting to the point.

"Not exactly," the second mumbled.

"What my associate means to say is your company will inherit the money," the first explained, "Your parents wanted to invest their money in your company, but not directly to you. Most of their possessions have been donated to local charities as well."

"So let me get this straight," Jack said, anger barely masked in his voice, "They gave away their things and invested their money in my company, but didn't leave a thing specifically for me?"

"Well, there is a matter of their remaining mansion," the second lawyer put in.

"Ah, yes, I was getting to that," the first lawyer continued, "They left their last mansion for you. The rest were donated to charities."

"Which one?" Jack asked, suddenly surprised.

"It's an isolated property on a barren hill near the seacoast," the first lawyer informed him, "Quite a large and spacious place, very old. There's a myth surrounding the place that any person that enters its halls for even the slightest amount of time will have their souls trapped there of an eternity, even if they physically leave the place. It was quite disturbing to visit, to say the least."

"I know the place, though I've never been there myself," Jack murmured, "So that's it? Are we done here?"

"If you'll just sign these papers, we will settle the rest," the second lawyer said, pushing the file of papers towards him.

Jack took the file and removed the papers, skimming through them before signing them with a pen that had been in the file. When all the paperwork had been completed, he handed the file back to the lawyers.

"That will be all for today, Mr. Spicer," the first lawyer stated, "We are so sorry for your loss, and we hope you have a good day."

Jack Spicer would have liked to sneer and retort how very easy it would have been for him to have a good day immediately following the deaths of his parents, but he quite frankly couldn't care less at the moment. Instead, he stood, thanked the lawyers, and excused himself from the room. He paid no mind to the office building around him as he made his way out of the building while pulling a cell phone from his pocket and dialed the number of his business partner and friend.

"So? How'd it go?" his friend immediately asked upon answering the call, "Oh, why am I even asking? I already saw the online banking account for the business. Congratulations on inheriting the Spicer fortune!"

"Yeah, about that," Jack muttered, clearing his throat, "I didn't exactly inherit the fortune."

"What do you mean? Jack, man, you'd better explain what's going on," his friend pressed.

"Turns out mom and dad never got over the whole discovery of me being gay," Jack muttered, blushing slightly, "They're doing everything they can to keep me from getting a thing. They donated all their possessions to local charities and invested the fortune in my company. I read through the will. Not a penny of the money can be withdrawn from the company's banking account by me."

"That sucks, man," his friend murmured sympathetically, "They really didn't leave you anything?"

"They left me their mansion," Jack offered.

"Score! The really nice one with your basement lab, right?" his friend interrupted.

"No, the old one on the hillside," Jack clarified, "It's an old rundown place in who knows where. I've never been there myself, but I saw some pictures. Turns out that's the place where my mom and dad dropped dead."

"That's kinda creepy," his friend mumbled, "But, hey, at least they left you something! If it's that old, you could probably sell it for a nice price and come back to work."

"Wrong again," Jack mumbled, an edge of resentment in his tone, "In their will, my parents forbade selling the place. And what's worse, they found a way to make sure I never leave the place now that I've inherited the property."

"What do you mean?" his friend asked in surprise.

"Apparently there's some law in the region around this place that forbids the mansion's owner from leaving the country," Jack explained, "And because I can't sell the place, I'm stuck in that country until I die."

"What country is it?" his friend inquired.

"China, I think," Jack replied, "It's a remote place near the coast."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," his friend exclaimed through the phone, "Let me get this straight. You mean to tell me that you're stuck in God knows where in a mansion that you can't leave? What about your company?"

"I would assume you can take over it," Jack snorted, "Just for the time being, anyway. I fully intend to find some way to legally dispute the will and get the hell out of this whole mess as soon as I can. But for now, I'm stuck there."

"I can't do this," his partner growled, "Run the entire company without your help? You're the tech genius, not me! What if something breaks?"

"I trust that you can fix it," Jack replied coolly, "Besides, there are no laws that forbid video conferences and emails. I'll be keeping in touch."

And with that, before his friend/partner could protest further, Jack hung up the phone. He stood in front of his car, scowling at his reflection in its shiny black windows. He was very displeased to say the least with how the day's events had turned out. Now he had to look forward to a long day of packing before he was forced to travel half way around the world to live in a place that he did not want to live in. He hoped fervently that this new living arrangement would not become permanent.

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><p><span>Just so you know, I made all that stuff up about Jack never being able to leave the mansion's region just so I could trap him there. I couldn't very well have him run off, now could I? ;) I'm amazed at how well this fic is turning out, seeing as it's definitely not one of by better writings. Oh well, it's a good chance for me to assess my writing style and skill, plus it's a nice distraction from my usual writing. I hope you all like it! If not, feel free to tell me, but please don't flame!<span>


	3. Inheritance

Wow, this story is turning out to be more popular than I expected. Thank you to all that have read this story, and especially to my reviewers! Reviews encourage me to post more sooner! Of course, I'm trying to pace the updates so I don't suddenly run out of stuff to post. XD I still find it weird that I started writing the sequel to this fic before I even started writing this. But I sure did love describing the mansion twice. XD Enjoy~

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><p><strong>Inheritance -<strong>

Less than a day later, Jack stood outside the gates of a forbidding manor. The land was gray in color; even its sparse scattering of dead grass had a grayish hue. A lonely tree stood at the base of the barren hillside, its dead bark bleached a bone white, as if the very life had been sucked from it. Nothing appeared to be growing here, save for an interspersing of small weeds among the dead clumps of grass.

At the crest of this forsaken land stood the mansion, its gray paint faded and peeling from its neglected walls. The pathway leading up to the mansion was only discernable by its lining of weeds. Jack eyed the property with contempt as he took in its neglected appearance, astounded that his parents hadn't put in some effort to repaint the house or cultivate a garden.

Jack lifted one gloved hand and pushed open the old iron gates. They opened with a protesting shriek that attested to their rusted hinges and age. He strode up the pathway to the mansion, black trench coat flowing in the chill breeze. Behind him several butler-robots of his creation carried his many possessions. Their whirring, buzzing circuitry seemed muted in the fog-choked air.

Upon reaching the porch of the large mansion, Jack paused to admire the well-crafted oak doors. _Perhaps there's more to this place than at a distant glance. _He mused. His speculations were confirmed when he opened the oaken doors to reveal a large foyer. Several pieces of finely made wooden chairs upholstered with black velvet cushions edged the room, and large portraits of regal-looking people lined the walls. At the opposite side of the foyer, a staircase on either side of the room led to the upstairs hallway, in the center of which stood a large, ebony grandfather clock.

Jack marveled at the ominous and almost sinister charm that the room held. He could imagine such an extravagantly decorated mansion to have once been the home of some nobleman or bane of the land. A small smirk crossed his lips. This place was much more suited for him than he'd initially realized. The mansion's foreboding and unapproachable air complimented his cool, calculating businessman nature nicely.

After ordering his robots to search out the master bedroom and unpack his things, Jack decided to meander through the mansion. To the right of the foyer was a large, grand dining room with a long wooden table of fine oaken make with dozens upon dozens of matching chairs and place-settings already preset. The young man found this odd, but shrugged it off before venturing to the next room.

To the left of the foyer was a large kitchen, complete with modern appliances and an old brick oven. Already one of his butler-bots was attending to lighting a fire in the brick oven while another began to prepare an evening meal. Jack left them to it, choosing to explore the upstairs portion of the mansion.

The upstairs hallway contained mostly bedrooms that looked as if they hadn't been used in centuries. As Jack opened each bedroom door, a cold draft of dusty air wafted out to greet him, causing him to cough repeatedly and sending shivers up his spine. He found most of his possessions unpacked in the largest room at the far end of the left hallway, with a few of his robots busying themselves with transferring his clothing into a large dresser and closet. In the last room in the right end of the hallway, more robots were busy setting up a personal office complete with laptop and fax machine.

The sudden chime of a grandfather clock startled Jack. He shuddered as a cold gust of air brushed passed him, abruptly deciding to check on the progress of his bots in the kitchen. Almost running down the stairs, he nearly bumped into one of the robots as it came to inform him that his meal was ready and set in the dining room. Thanking the robot curtly, the young man turned in the direction of the dining room.

Sitting at the head seat of the dining room table, Jack studied his meal pensively. He wasn't feeling hungry, so he contented himself with staring glumly at his dinner. He found it strangely hard to breathe in the dining room, as if the air itself were suffocating his lungs.

Every minute or so, Jack would feel a chill gust of air brush past him, but there was something that he couldn't place. There was no source for a draft, the windows and doors were securely closed. And there was something about the sound of the air as it breezed past; a faint rustling reminiscent to the swift of cloth as a person moved. The very noise sent shivers running down his spine, and the young man decided that he could not stand to sit there a moment longer.

Ordering one of his butler-bots to take away his meal, Jack stood from the table and made to exit the dining room. As he reached the threshold between the dining room and the foyer, another cold gust blew directly into his face. It was a gentle breeze at best, but he still found himself forced to take a step or two back in its wake.

Shivering from something other than the chill, Jack sprinted up the stairs and down the left hallway to his new room. He dressed hurriedly, climbing into the king-size master bed and burrowing within its covers. Still trembling with something that was beginning to feel like fear, Jack forced himself into a restless sleep just as the sun vanished behind a thick covering of clouds.

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><p><span>Is it just my imagination, or was that part shorter than the last two? Well, I hope that you all at least enjoyed all the detail I put into describing the mansion! And for all you Chack fans, fret not! Chase will be making his debut soon. :) And keep in mind that reviews encourage me to post more~! :D<span>


	4. It was a Dark and Stormy Night

Wow, this story is turning out to be more popular than I thought! Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I'll try to make up for it by posting another part tomorrow. And as for you Chack fans, incoming Chase alert! XD

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><p><strong>It was a Dark and Stormy Night...<strong>

The sudden roar of a thunderclap and the toll of the grandfather clock startled Jack into wakefulness two hours later. Heart hammering in his ears, he listened as the large clock chimed out the hour of midnight, taking shallow breaths to calm his franticly beating heart. As the last chime pealed away into a blanket silence, Jack's heart nearly stopped entirely.

In the silence that followed the last chime of the ebony grandfather clock, white-clad figures began to appear in the nearly pitch-black room, casting an eerie illumination against its walls. Jack stared at the figures in pure terror as they began to take a more solid substance. Details such as faces and clothing became more apparent as they seemed to materialize into something entirely too real for his comfort.

The room was no longer silent as the figures became more substantial. Whispers carried in their wake, at first almost indiscernible, but growing in strength until the young man could make out each word with chilling clarity. He huddled down in his covers until only his ruby eyes and red hair could be seen above the edge of the sheets.

"Wh-who are you?" Jack squeaked, ruby eyes wide in fear, "What are you?"

"They're ghosts," came the cool, calm reply.

As if the words had broken a spell, the ghosts began to fade. Jack blinked, staring around at the dissolving white ghosts. His sigh of relief caught in his throat as his eyes fell upon the one remaining ghost, a man a few years older than Jack leaning casually against the wall in the right corner of the room. His form was more solid than the others, and the white illuminating glow that surrounded him did not bleach away his coloring.

Jack stared entranced at the remaining man. His skin was pale, slightly tanned, though a bit darker than Jack's own sheet-white skin. His hair was long and gathered in a tie at the nape of the neck, and despite the white glow that engulfed him, Jack could make out hints of green in his black hair. He looked to be four inches or so taller than Jack himself, and his eyes were golden with cat-like slits for pupils.

"Who are you?" Jack murmured in wonder.

The man straightened and moved towards the bed with long strides. Fear returning, Jack shrank back under the covers. He stared at the approaching ghost with wide ruby eyes partially hidden behind the covers. The ghost stopped at the foot of the bed, smirking at the terrified younger man.

"I am Chase Young," the older man informed him with an air of nobility, "the first owner of this mansion that you now find yourself living in. And you must be Jack Spicer, the new owner of my mansion. Welcome."

"How do you know my name?" asked Jack warily.

"Your parents, of course," Chase explained, waving a hand to summon two ghosts, "They've told me a good deal about you. They say you will be the last owner of this mansion, as you can neither sell it nor will you ever have an heir."

Jack stared in shocked horror at the two ghosts that appeared behind Chase. They were his parents, palely lit ghosts that stared back at him with flinty eyes. At Chase's last words, the young man's attention snapped back to the older ghost. He trembled, though now from a rising anger.

"They told you all that, did they?" he snarled, shooting a cold glare at his parental apparitions, "I guess they would do something like that. They were always so concerned about their public appearance that they couldn't stand to have me taint it, just because I prefer boys to girls."

As Jack continued to stare hatefully at his deceased parents, Chase dismissed the two ghosts with a snap of his fingers. There was a glint in the older man's eyes, a guarded intrigue as he surveyed the young man. The smirk on his face broadened. Abruptly he frowned and stepped closer to the bed.

"You should rest, Spicer," Chase advised gravely, "You will need your strength if you wish to survive for long here. This place has a way of sucking your spirits dry. I would hope that you last longer here than some of our previous guests."

A yawn was Jack's reply as he snuggled back into the sheets. He was weary, and after the terrifying event that had just occurred, he desperately needed some sleep. As the albino man's eyes fluttered closed, he caught a glimpse of the light around Chase's figure growing gray before the older man vanished entirely. A moment later, he was consumed by a black void of exhaustion.

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><p><span>Sorry about this being a short part and all. The next part will be longer, I promise! And yay, Chase finally makes an appearance! How many of you expected this little twist?<span>


	5. Legends at Dawn

Don't know what all there is to say about this next part, except that it's one of the longer ones, and it gives Chase and the mansion a backstory. No lemons just yet, but all good things to those who wait. ) I make up for the slow progression of the story with a rich plot and great details. Hope you all enjoy!

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><p><strong>Legends at Dawn!<strong>

Jack awoke with no sense of the time. The sun was up, or at least he thought it was. In this fogged place, it was hard to tell the sun's position in the sky, or if it wasn't moonlight that lit the smothering fog. A quick glance at his digital clock confirmed that it was morning. He bolted upright when he registered the time. It was 6:30! With a quick calculation in his head, he figured out that was about 6:30 in the afternoon back in New York, where the main branch of his company was.

Dressing quickly, Jack ran out of his room and hurried down the hall to his new office. After pressing the power button on his laptop, the young business man smoothed his hair and settled in his office chair as he waited for the video conference feature on his laptop to activate.

Within a minute, the face of his partner appeared on the screen. The man gave him a searching look before grinning.

"Nice of you to finally tune in, sleeping beauty," his partner greeted cheerfully.

"Sorry about that," Jack apologized, "There's a major difference in time zone here."

"Yeah, by twelve hours," his partner snorted, "I thought you'd be checking in on the company ages ago. But everything's fine on this end. So, how's the new place?"

"Yeah, it's… great," Jack gave half-hearted chuckle.

"You seem distracted," his partner remarked, "Is something bothering you?"

"What? Oh, no," Jack assured him hastily, "Everything's fine. I- Meep!"

"Jack? Jack, man, what's wrong?" his partner asked urgently, "Are you ok? You look like you just saw a ghost or something! Jack? Answer me! Ja-"

At that moment, the screen of Jack's laptop went completely black. The young man didn't notice, staring startled at the older man that now played with the cord of the laptop's charger. Chase Young let the cord drop with a small thud onto the floor. He turned his disinterested golden eyes onto the young man sitting frozen on the other side of the desk.

"Up a little early this morning, aren't we?" the ghost inquired amiably, as if this were routine conversation for him.

Finally getting over his shock, Jack's eyes clocked as he took a deep breath. When he opened them again, ruby eyes glared at the older man. He cursed under his breath as he stood and took a step towards the ghost.

"Jesus, Chase!" Jack exclaimed in anger, "You scared me half to death! And what's more, my business partner is probably having a panic attack after you disconnected my laptop!"

"It's not my fault that your laptop doesn't have the battery power to operate without being connected to its charger," Chase countered smoothly.

Jack glowered at the ghost, mentally berating himself for not replacing the battery on his laptop before he moved to the middle of nowhere. He was more embarrassed than angry with Chase, but he would not let that show. Instead, he waited for his anger to slowly recede before sighing and stooping down to search for the cord of his laptop.

Having successfully found it, Jack reconnected his laptop and looked at his desk clock. It was already 7:00. By now, the company would be closed. Sighing again, he pulled his cell phone from the pocket of his trench coat and began texting. _False alarm, a robot startled me. It tripped laptop cord, disconnected me. We'll talk again tomorrow._ Two minutes later, he received a reply: _Don't scare me like that! Thought someone was waving a gun at you or something. Good night, man. Good luck with the new mansion. ;)_

Frowning slightly, Jack slipped the phone back into his pocket. He wasn't sure he could enjoy the new mansion, especially when one particular ghost seemed determined to haunt him. He eyed said ghost with a quizzical expression as his decidedly less tired mind was able to fully examine the man.

Just as he'd suspected, Chase Young looked to be only a few years older than Jack himself. If he had to make an estimate, he'd guess that the ghost appeared to be maybe twenty-four years old. In the new lighting, Jack decided there as an Asian cast to the shape of his eyes and the color of his skin. The green highlights in his hair were more subtle than they were the night before. All and all, he thought the older man looked attractively handsome.

Suddenly conscious that he had been staring, Jack shifted his eyes to his desk, furiously scanning its surface for anything to distract himself. He didn't see the smirk that flitted across Chase's face before the ghost stepped forward, drawing the younger man's attention back to him.

"Get some breakfast, Spicer," Chase ordered.

Unable to find a reason for protest, Jack consented and headed downstairs. He was aware of Chase following him as he made his way into the kitchen, where already a plate of scrambled eggs awaited him on a small kitchen table. The young business man sat down and hungrily tore into his breakfast while his ghostly companion watched.

When the plate was almost empty, Jack glanced quizzically up at Chase. The ghost was leaning against a kitchen counter, watching him with disinterested golden eyes and slit pupils. Curiosity got the better of the younger man as he asked, "How come this place is haunted to the sky in ghosts?"

"It's an old story, old enough that it's become local myth," Chase informed, smiling slightly, "It all started when this mansion was young, back in a time when true magic ruled the land. Alas, much of the true magic has died out in the centuries of passing."

"Wait, how old are you?" Jack interrupted, abruptly pushing his chair back and straightening to look the ghost seriously in the face.

"Twenty-six," Chase replied, looking perplexed by the question.

"Ok, let me rephrase that," Jack consented, "How long have you been here?"

"More than one thousand, five hundred years," Chase informed in a grand tone that expressed nobility tainted by something else, a subtle undercurrent of melancholy.

"Gotcha," Jack replied, "Continue."

"As I was saying, I lived in this mansion many years back, when magic had a true power in our land," Chase continued, "I was little more than a boy a few years younger than you when my parents commissioned that this mansion be built as a coming of age gift. I was quite pleased with the mansion, but not so much with the company I was to keep in it."

Jack arched an eyebrow as means for asking for an explanation.

"Females," Chase snorted, his lip curling in distaste.

Understanding the feeling, Jack gave a sympathetic grunt.

"In the days of my mortal youth, I held a court of fellows that shared my tastes," Chase resumed, "Among them was a young magician, Hannibal Roy Bean. Bean held great skill with magic for one so young. He knew how well I enjoyed my lifestyle, and he promised to preserve it for all eternity. I was naive back then. I knew not the curse that he offered."

"On the eve of my twenty-sixth birthday, I accepted Hannibal's offer," Chase half growled, "I believed he offered immortality and freedom, but he cursed me and trapped my soul in this place for all eternity. The poison that he made me drink stole away my life that night. I have not left the mansion since."

Jack let out a sympathetic murmur as he stared at the forlorn look that momentarily crossed the older man's face. Less than a full second had passed before Chase regained his mask of composure and continued with his story.

"Ever since that night, this mansion has changed hands for centuries," Chase said in a somewhat detached tone, "Each person that passes through the mansion's halls becomes its ghostly prisoner in death. Eventually, their souls fade from these halls, but for the owners, it's a little bit different."

"Different how?" Jack asked with a nervous swallow.

"The owners' ghosts are trapped here forever, like me," Chase explained, waving a dismissive hand, "I can't say I relish the company, but it does keep the place from getting too lonely. Not that I would enjoy socializing with my fellow prisoners. Many of them cling to their snobby, ignorant ways with the persistence of a burr. I admit it irks me that they can't change their ways once they reach the afterlife."

"So… Does this mean I'll be trapped here forever too?" Jack asked for confirmation.

Chase smirked at the fearful, though slightly hopeful tone of the young man before looking him in the face with a serious glint in his golden eyes.

"No," Chase replied, "My curse is not permanent, as much as Hannibal tried to make it. We will all be free from this place once this mansion perishes under its last owner."

Jack gave the older man a blank stare. Chase narrowed his eyes in slight irritation.

"You, Spicer," Chase clarified in annoyance.

"M-me?" Jack stuttered in surprise, taken completely unprepared.

"Yes, you," Chase replied, a smirk crossing his face.

"Why me?" Jack asked after a moment, bewildered.

"Because of how you inherited the mansion," Chase explained with a careless wave of his hand, "Your parents made it impossible for the mansion to leave your family by restricting you from selling it. Therefore, the mansion would be passed on to your heir. But, unless you intend to adopt – which really isn't an option, seeing as you can't leave this region and no villager in their right mind will allow you to adopt a child to bring to this ungodly place – you will not be able to pass the mansion down to an heir. You are the last owner of this mansion."

Feeling as if his insides had just been turned to jelly, Jack slumped in his seat, staring blankly at the floor. His mind was reeling with this information, fighting itself as it tried to make sense of Chase's words. After several long moments, he had come to terms with what he now knew. It actually made sense to him, in a demented sort of way, as if the work of divinity and destiny had been distorted to fit some fiend's purposes.

"So, what now?" Jack asked in a meek, dazed tone, "Am I just supposed to wake up dead one morning and you all go free or something?"

"No," Chase consented after a momentary pause, "The curse will end when the mansion perishes under its last owner, but in all the centuries I have seen pass, I have never once understood what that means. I do not understand how the mansion can perish, nor do I know if that means you will perish in the process. We shall see."

Jack shuddered under the intrigued, ironic stare of the ghost. He half expected Chase to lunge forward and try to strangle him to death in order to test whether that would put an end to his curse, but nothing of the sort happened. Even though Chase posed no threat to his immediate life, Jack knew the ghost would not stop haunting his heart until his curse was lifted.

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><p><span>For all those of you patiently anticipating a lemon, please have a little bit more patience. It took me weeks to build up the courage to write a lemon for this fic, but I assure you it was worth the delay. But of course, I'm not usually the kind of writer to just spring a lemon on you all of a sudden. The story still has to work up to it a little. Just have a bit more patience, please. It's well worth the wait!<span>


	6. They Laughed until Midnight

Happy Halloween, everyone! I figured that a nice fluffy update would be a much appreciated treat as well as a thank you present for everyone that's read this story so far. Haunts of the Heart has received more than 750 hits! :'D Thank you, everyone! Enjoy the fluff~!

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><p><strong>They Laughed until Midnight...<strong>

Three months after Jack's fateful first night in the mansion, his strange acquaintanceship with Chase Young had grown into a wary friendship. The young business man had grown used to the ghost's presence in nearly everything he did. Their daily routine began when they greeted each other in the kitchen, sharing each other's silent company while Jack ate his breakfast at the small kitchen table. After his first evening in the mansion, the young man had never warmed up to the idea of eating in the dining room, which he learned was a favorite location of many of the ghosts come meal time.

For the rest of the day, Jack would work on any documents sent from his business partner via fax in his office. Chase would casually come and go as he pleased, seldom disturbing the younger man with his presence or brief conversation. Later in the evening, Jack would send the completed documentation to his partner, occasionally engaging in video conferences to clarify the more complex details of his company. Jack tried to pretend it bothered him that there was little he could do to run the company any more, but in truth, he was enjoying the respite from work.

Once his work for the day had been completed, Jack would walk out the front door of the mansion and make his way around it on an almost hidden path until he reached the back porch. The back of the mansion held a library completely inaccessible from the front of the mansion. Chase had been the one to show it to him.

The mansion library was a grand room, filled with two stories of bookshelves of cherry wood that contained books of all sorts – from non-fiction to fantasy, from centuries old to the more modern books supplied by the late Mr. and Mrs. Spicer. The ceiling of the library was replaced with glass panels that let in vast quantities of natural – or unnatural, in Jack's opinion – light. On a rare evening of clear skies, it was especially pleasant to stare upwards at the mosaic of stars that graced the black heavens.

On the bottom floor of the library, hidden at the far end of a maze-like array of tall bookshelves, two comfortable armchairs were arranged on either side of a large fireplace. Jack had to admit there had been countless a night when he was grateful for the roaring fireplace in the near permanent chill in the air of the mansion.

As had become his custom, Jack would retire for the evening in one of the armchairs beside the fireplace. The other armchair would be claimed by Chase less than a moment later. Under the right set of circumstances, the presence of a warm fire, and a bottle of sparkling wine at the ready, and in Jack's case, a plate of well-cooked food, the two men engaged in amiable conversation. It had become a favored time for both.

When the hour had grown late, Jack and Chase would take their leave from the library and return to Jack's bedroom. There, the young man would fall asleep under the watchful eye of his ghostly companion. Although he would never admit it to Chase, for the ghost was not well disposed towards acts of sentiment, Jack had begun to enjoy Chase's presence when he fell asleep. He couldn't explain why, but he felt more secure knowing that Chase was simply there.

Currently, Jack sat in the library, a glass of wine in his hand as he talked casually with Chase. His dinner plate, which had before held a filet mignon cooked to medium rare perfection, was set aside, bare of the meal it had held. The hour was approaching midnight, and Jack knew that he would not be able to stay awake much longer. Still, he persisted in questioning Chase with needless questions.

"What's your favorite season?" Jack asked, grinning under the effects of the wine.

"Autumn," Chase replied curtly.

"What do you think of the state of the United States' economy?" Jack asked.

"Your economy will soon enter a state similar to an extinction vortex," Chase replied simply.

Jack gave the older man a blank look. Chase sighed before explaining, "An extinction vortex is the downward spiral of a species as it becomes extinct from lack of genetic variation."

"Oh, gotcha," Jack replied, smiling brightly, "So basically our economy is going downhill if we don't get in some new business and industries."

"Exactly," Chase confirmed.

"Hey, Chase?" Jack asked, words becoming slurred by a series of yawns, "Do you want us to be friends?"

"Friends?" Chase echoed in surprise, golden eyes growing wide as he considered the question and the one that had asked it.

Chase spent whole minutes considering the question. It was an odd question, certainly one that no one had ever asked him before. It reawakened something in him, an old coal in his heart that had once burned for something more than a mere companionship or friendship. It contained a primal desire, a need for possessiveness, a hunger for the lasting presence of another by his side.

As his eyes once more fell to the young man that was little more than a boy to him, Chase saw him in a new light. His paper-white skin held a more delicate elegance than any he had ever seen before, and his ruby red eyes, though now closed in slumber, were both a pool and a mirror. Sometimes, Chase could see into the youth's very soul through those eyes. In those times, he could practically hear Jack's every thought. But upon closer inspection, he could only see himself in those ruby red eyes, his own image guarding against some inner thought not meant to be shared.

"No," Chase murmured, "I do not want us to be friends."

Chase stood gracefully from his chair, setting aside his wine glass. He stood over Jack's half-curled form before bending over and scooping up the youth into his arms. The sudden warmth made the lifeless breath escaping from his lips hitch, but he forced himself to carry Jack around the mansion and into his room.

Gently, Chase rested Jack down on the king-size bed, pulling the covers over the young man. He straightened and continued to stare at the youth sleeping peacefully in what had once been his bed. He smiled a genuine smile, slowly running his fingers through Jack's scarlet red hair before speaking again.

"I want," he murmured softly into the silence, "to be more than friends."

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><p><span>I'm sure you all want the next update. ;) Anyone want some lemonade? XD<span>


	7. Beyond Words

¡Feliz Día de los Muertos! Happy Day of the Dead! :D I figured this would be the best time to upload the next part. Speaking of which, lemonade, anyone? ;) Enjoy~~~

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><p><strong>Beyond Words...<strong>

"You know, you never did answer my question last night," Jack pointed out.

Chase opened one narrowed eye to stare at the young man that was digging into his breakfast of ham and scrambled eggs. Jack was giving a him an almost accusatory stare as he chewed a bite of ham. The ghost debated whether to ignore the question entirely or to answer it then and there. In truth, he had been hoping that the memory would pass with the alcohol leaving his system. He decided on a compromise.

"If you really must know, Spicer," Chase growled, "I will give you my answer tonight, in the library."

Jack blinked in surprise at the response. He hadn't expected his question be delayed its answer. He nodded slightly, staring at his now clean plate. When he looked back up, Chase was gone. Sighing, Jack stood and took his plate to the sink. He rinsed it and set it aside for the butler-bots to clean later before making his way to his office.

For the rest of the day, Jack saw no sign of Chase. It surprised him that the ghost would go to such lengths to avoid him until the proper time for his answer. Jack admitted to himself that Chase's absence bothered him greatly, distracting him from his work and giving him no appetite for his favorite "lunch", two pudding cups and a mug of hot chocolate.

As the hours ticked by with an agonizing slowness, Jack became more and more agitated. His flustered mind crafted waking nightmares of Chase rejecting him, maybe even attacking him. Perhaps the ghost had had enough waiting for his curse to end. Maybe he really was planning to finally kill him that night. Though these thoughts frightened him, the very idea that Chase would spurn his shy affections brought him to heart-aching misery. He had come to secretly love the ghost that watched over him with feigned indifference.

As the hour struck 8:00 in the evening, Jack all but leaped to his feet and ran from his office. He paused breathless on the front porch, forcing himself to calm down and take deep breaths. Straightening his hair and black trench coat to calm himself, he made his way around the mansion. He hesitated momentarily before opening the backdoor and heading purposefully into the library's maze of bookshelves.

Turning the last corner that led to the library's inner sanctum, Jack's heart sank when he saw that Chase's armchair was empty. He tried to comfort himself with the idea that Chase was simply keeping him in suspense, but dejection made him slump into his own armchair. He ordered one of his bots to bring out a bottle of sparkling wine and his glass as he settled in the chair.

An hour passed, and there was still no sign of Chase. Jack's silent misery heightened with the chime of a clock. He reached for the wine bottle a third time, somberly staring into his nearly empty glass. But his fingers came up empty; the bottle was gone.

"Don't you think you've had enough, Spicer?" came the growl-like voice of Chase.

Jack looked up to see the ghost looming over him. He shrugged nonchalantly, struggling under the effects of the wine to remember why he had waited so impatiently to talk with Chase earlier. Then he sat up abruptly, sober as he remembered Chase's promised answer to his question. The ghost smirked slightly at the urgent look that Jack gave him, as if his whole life hung on the answer of the one simple question.

Setting the wine bottle aside, Chase slowly leaned down towards Jack until his face was only a few inches above Jack's. The younger man tilted his head back to look straight into his golden eyes as he studied the youth sitting before him. He saw the mirror form in Jack's eyes, but he also saw the shadows that lay behind it, and the almost pleading way the young man was looking at him, silently begging him to understand something that was left unspoken.

Closing the gap between them, Chase captured Jack's lips in a chaste kiss, testing the youth's response before allowing himself to melt into the contact. Taken by surprise, Jack let out a small hiss before he relaxed into the kiss, his eyes fluttering shut as he leaned forward to return it. It was a brief contact that lasted only a moment, but could span lifetimes.

Drawing back from the contact, Chase searched Jack's face once more. Jack did not move for half a second, then he let out a soft, contented sigh as his eyes slowly opened wide again. He stared at Chase with a confused, though not at all unpleased, expression dancing across his face.

"Why'd you do that?" Jack asked in a breathy whisper.

"You wanted an answer," Chase replied, a husky undercurrent emerging in his normally toneless voice.

"But… Why?" Jack asked, helpless to his confusion, "Why me?"

Chase leaned forward again until his tanned cheek brushed against Jack's sheet-white one, his nose burying in the young man's scarlet red hair and his mouth less than an inch from Jack's ear.

"Stop asking questions," Chase growled, the husky, lusty tone becoming more pronounced.

Jack let out a startled squeak when Chase's cold arms wrapped around him, the ghost hoisting him into his arms bridal style. His cheek was pressed against Chase's clothed chest as the older man carried him from the library and deposited him a moment later on top of his bed. He sat up at the edge of the bed, staring in dazed surprise at Chase as the ghost began to remove the younger man's trench coat.

Shivering slightly as Chase's cold fingertips grazed over his now exposed shoulders, Jack allowed himself to be slowly undressed by the ghost. His trench coat was the first thing to go, followed by his jeans. The youth now sat in nothing but his boxers and an old, worn tank-top. Chase eyed him with approval before gently pushing him back onto the bed. After stripping down to his own undergarments, Chase followed, crawling on top of the younger man.

Chase wasted no time in reclaiming the youth's lips, using his own to part Jack's lips and gain entrance to his mouth. Jack gave a needy moan as he felt Chase's cold tongue enter the fever-pitched heat of his mouth. His entire body was wracked with shivers of pleasure as their tongues coiled and explored each other. He leaned upwards into the kiss, pressing his chest against Chase's until the ghost pinned him down against the bed.

Breaking the kiss, Chase directed his attention to stroking his fingertips up Jack's sides, his cold hands reaching under the teenager's shirt. Trails of red blush marked the progress of his fingers. Smirking, Chase lightly pinched one of Jack's nipples. The youth gave a surprised yelp, but Chase soothed him with a kiss upon his throat. Jack relaxed once more, his back arching as Chase forged a trail of cool kisses along his jawline, the feverishly hot skin beneath his lips flushing a rosy shade of soft pink.

While kissing the youth to distract him, Chase eased Jack's shirt off him. With a triumphant jerk, the ghost removed the tank-top, pausing to admire the smooth white body beneath him. Eyeing the youth's delicately sculpted chest greedily, Chase dived down to suck upon one of Jack's nipples. The young man let out a startled cry as his back arched under the ghost and he drew in short, needy gasps. Chase smirked in satisfaction, rolling the hardening bud between his teeth and earning himself a loud gasp from Jack as he struggled to contain himself.

Placing a hand at Jack's collarbone, Chase slowly slid his hand down the youth's body. Jack squirmed as the ghost's cold fingers fanned over his smooth abdomen, finding a sensitive spot where the skin trembled at the lightest of touches. Smirking wider, Chase hooked his fingers under the waistline of Jack's boxers. The young man, still dazed from the sensation of the ghost's fingers brushing against his ticklish stomach, hardly noticed when his last article of clothing was removed.

Jack was brought back to full attention when he felt Chase's cold tongue flicked across the tip of his straining erection. Gasping loudly in surprise, Jack attempted to sit up and cover himself, but the ghost kept him pinned one hand on the youth's chest. Narrowing his eyes possessively at the young man, Chase waited for Jack to relax before continuing. When he went limp under the ghost's palm, Chase bend to continue his administrations.

Flicking his tongue over the youth's member twice more, Chase slowly drew it into his mouth. Jack sucked in another loud intake of breath, his shoulders tensing, but did not move under Chase's hand. Chase smirked as he slowly brought Jack's erection fully into his mouth, sucking insistently at the base. Unable to remain still under the waves of pleasure that assaulted him, Jack began to thrash, though Chase's hand still held him in place. The youth's breath rasped with the moans of pleasure that escaped from his throat. Smirking, Chase's eyes flicked up to take in the sight of Jack's face contorted in such pleasure. The sight itself sent a thrill of excitement to his own member.

"D-Damn," Jack groaned through loud gasps.

"Something wrong?" Chase asked seductively, his voice not at all muffled by the obstruction in his mouth. Delicately, he scraped his teeth along Jack's member until he reached the tip.

"F-Fuck me," Jack moaned, shivering in ecstasy.

"Gladly," Chase purred, slowly licking first one of his fingers, then another.

Slowly, deliberately, Chase entered one of his cold slicked fingers into Jack's entrance. The youth's hot flesh tightened instinctively to ward off the cold, causing both of them to moan. When the first finger was buried as far as the tightness would yield, Chase slowly slid his finger out, drawing out a long moan from Jack. With equal slowness, he slid in a second coated finger along with the first and began to stretch the youth with scissor motions. Jack's moans were intermixed with whimpers, but they soon relapsed into needy panting.

To ease Jack's discomfort, Chase gently began to massage the tightness surrounding his fingers. Jack's moans grew slightly louder, and his pale hands fisted in the sheets beneath them. Suddenly the youth arched his back and cried out. Chase smirked in triumph. He'd found Jack's sweet spot.

With Jack still panting for breath, Chase withdrew his fingers and removed the last of his clothing. Positioning his member at the youth's waiting entrance, the ghost slowly entered him. Jack squirmed slightly at the unaccustomed coldness, but gradually he began to relax. When he was fully in, Chase paused to allow the young man to adjust to the feeling before slowly pulling out. Jack shivered at the sensation, making a mewling sound as Chase reentered him. The ghost set a slow pace as Jack adjusted to the feeling.

"Nnngg~ Chase, more~" Jack whined, beginning to squirm impatiently.

"As you wish," Chase purred seductively, kissing each of the young man's eyelids to placate his impatience.

Chase picked up the pace, thrusting faster into the young man. Jack continued to let out moans and needy whimpers beneath him. Arching his back, Chase entered him from a new angle that caused Jack to arch towards him and howl in pleasure. Smirking, Chase continued to drive into the youth at that spot, eliciting cry after cry of ecstasy from the young man.

"Chase! I'm… I'm–!" Jack gasped between moans and cries.

"I know," Chase grunted as he thrust again into the young man, "Don't fight it."

As their climax approached, Chase wrapped one of his cold hands around the youth's erection and began to pump it in time with his sharp thrusts. The feeling of cold against his hot skin coupled with the pleasure it elicited was too much for the young man to handle, and Jack came screaming the ghost's name. As the youth's walls contracted around his member, Chase followed with a hoarse cry. They collapsed together, lying spent upon the soiled sheets.

After what seemed like hours, Chase removed himself from the already asleep youth. Carefully, he stripped the bed of its top layer of sheets, tucking the young man under a clean layer of sheets. Tenderly he bent to place a kiss upon Jack's cheek. The young man shifted slightly, murmuring the ghost's name, but did not wake. Chase stepped back to watch him for several moments while he slept peacefully.

"I love you," Chase murmured quietly into the unresponsive air before leaving the room to take the bundle of soiled sheets to be washed.

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><p><span>*Blushing and giggling* This is my first lemon. I hope it turned out well! If not... *Hides from angry mob* And I'm officially out of parts to post for the moment! So let me get back to writing, and hopefully I'll have another couple of parts ready to go by the end of next week!<span>


	8. Charmed to Meet You

I'm sorry about the long wait for an update, everyone! I probably should have told you all that I was aiming to have this next update ready by Thanksgiving. I'm very proud to say I met my deadline! That's almost never happened when I write fanfiction! So, I'd like to say Happy Thanksgiving to everyone that celebrates it (I was shocked to learn 2 years ago that not everyone does. Why did I never realize this sooner?) The only thing I'll say about this update beforehand is that I've added an OC to the mix. Hopefully that doesn't throw anyone off or make the story less interesting! Please enjoy~!

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><p><strong>Charmed to Meet You...<strong>

It was late when Jack awoke the next day. It was the lack of an alarm that woke him. Blinking away the blurriness from his eyes, he rolled over to stare at his digital alarm clock. It took several moments for his sleep-weary brain to process that it was already an hour past noon. At once he jolted upright, his ruby eyes wide and startled. How had he managed to sleep through his alarm?

"Master told me not to wake you," a voice piped up from the other side of the bed, "Perhaps Master made the wrong decision?"

Jack froze, turning slowly to stare at a boy kneeling at the side of his bed. The boy was smiling, his flawless white teeth gleaming in the faint light that radiated from his being. He was young; he couldn't have been more than fourteen. His skin was very pale, and his outward spiking hair was as black as a raven's ebony feathers. He tilted his head slightly in a questioning manner, and his eyes – the most unreadable shade of amethyst that held more than a lifetime in their depths – sparkled with a knowing glint. He was beautiful, enough to almost rival Chase's handsomeness. Almost.

"Who are you?" Jack breathed in awe, marveling at the boy's strange beauty.

"I am Kellin Wraven," the boy replied, "I am Master Chase Young's personal servant. I am here to serve your every wish, as Master Chase commanded. How may I serve you, my lord?"

"I'm not a lord," Jack muttered, shaking his head as he tried to process what Kellin had said.

"You are the owner of this mansion," Kellin pointed out, "That makes you a lord of this estate. Are you displeased with this, my lord?"

"Stop calling me 'my lord'," Jack snapped, "I don't want servants; that's what I have robots for. I don't want to own you."

"But you won't," Kellin replied calmly, "I am Master Chase's servant. I belong to Master Chase and I follow his every command. Master Chase has commanded me to serve you as well, but he did not make you my master. You do not own me."

"Ok," Jack muttered warily, slightly confused, "Just… Stop calling me 'my lord'."

"What would you have me call you?" Kellin asked, tilting his head questioningly once more.

"Jack is fine," Jack replied.

"Jack?" Kellin echoed, surprise flashing momentarily through his amethyst eyes, "I have never been on a first name basis with a lord of the mansion before. Jack… I think I like it."

"Good," Jack sighed, puzzled by the naive aura that Kellin radiated, "Was there something you wanted, Kellin?"

"Oh, no, my lor- Jack!" Kellin exclaimed, quick to correct himself, "I have been ordered to follow your orders and please you. What would please you, Jack?"

"Food, actually," Jack admitted, hearing a rumble from his stomach.

"Of course!" Kellin replied, grinning, "Anything my lor- I mean Jack desires!"

Jack suppressed a smile of amusement at Kellin's mistake. Despite his earlier words, the boy genuinely found it difficult to resist calling him a lord.

"Hey, Kellin," Jack said, careful not to allow his amusement to show in his voice, "If you're so determined to call me 'my lord', you can just call me Lord Jack until you get used to using just my name."

At this, Kellin's eyes brightened.

"Oh, thank you, Lord Jack!" Kellin chirped happily, "I was finding it hard to adjust to using your name."

"Yes, well, about breakfast then," Jack said, changing the subject.

"Ah, yes, of course! If Lord Jack will excuse me, I shall see to making breakfast immediately!" Kellin declared with a smile.

"You may go," Jack said dismissively, "I will be down momentarily."

Still smiling, Kellin stood and skipped from the room. Jack stared at him as he went, intrigued by the ghost boy. Kellin possessed a curious combination of characteristics. He was very willing to please, that much was obvious. He seemed so naive, yet there was an ageless quality to his eyes that made him appear to gloat over knowing more than he should. Normally Jack would have found these qualities very annoying, but in Kellin these qualities mixed to produce a challenging enigma that Jack couldn't resist but ponder.

Pushing aside his musings, Jack scooted out from under the covers and sat at the edge of the bed. He was startled to find himself naked, without a single piece of clothing. The memory of the previous night struck him, and a pink flush rose under his pale white skin. A mixed wave of nervousness and giddiness swept through him at the memory. He hastily stood up and went to his dresser, trying to distract himself by dressing faster than normal, which only served to slow him down as he tried unsuccessfully to button a white business shirt over one of his favorite black tank-tops.

Finally dressed, Jack passed through the hallway and hurried down the stairs and into the kitchen. There, he found Kellin busy at work over the stove. Kellin glanced over his shoulder as Jack entered and waved for him to take a seat at the small kitchen table, as Jack was not prone to eating in the dining room. Jack sat down and watched the boy as he cooked.

Kellin moved effortlessly about the kitchen, buttering two slices of neatly toasted bread and pouring a cup of coffee, adding one tablespoon of vanilla cream, just as Jack liked it. He set the coffee mug on the table and returned to the stove. He paused briefly to tuck a stray spike of hair behind his ear as he worked, and for a moment, Jack thought he caught a glimpse of pointed ear tips, but he dismissed it as a trick of the light.

Grabbing the plate, Kellin gently transferred an omelet from the frying pan onto the plate. Carrying the plate over to the refrigerator, he opened the door and took something out, though Jack could not see what. Setting the meal before him, the young ghost finished it with a flourish, placing a chocolate pudding cup at the center of the plate.

"I am told you like pudding cups," Kellin said simply, bowing slightly as he moved away.

Jack stared in amazement at what appeared to be the most professionally prepared meal he'd seen in months. Slowly he raised his fork to take a bite of the omelet, savoring the flavor of the cheese and ham cooked into it. It was by far much better than anything his robots had ever prepared for him, and it rivaled the breakfasts prepared in some of the finer restaurants he'd visited.

"This is amazing," Jack breathed, taking another hungry bite, "Your cooking is excellent. How do you manage to cook like this?"

"It is nothing, Lord Jack, simply years of practice," Kellin replied, bowing again and smiling, "I am very glad that my cooking pleases you."

"Where was Chase this morning?" Jack asked between bites, hoping the question sounded casual.

"Master Chase was dealing with some unrest among some of the other ghosts," Kellin informed him, "He is attending to the situation as we speak."

"Oh, I didn't know the ghosts could become upset," Jack commented, "Does that happen often?"

"No, this is quite a rare occurrence," Kellin replied, "Indeed the problem is your parents."

"My parents?" Jack echoed, surprised, "What are they up to now?"

"They are not pleased with what happened last night between you and Master Chase," Kellin explained, "Master Chase is trying to calm them, but he remains firm that you be allowed to do as you please so long as you are a lord of this estate."

"They know?" Jack blurted out, startled.

"Everyone in the manor knows," Kellin said simply, "Master Chase is not ashamed of this; my master would never keep such things like this secret, especially knowing it would cause an uproar such as this."

Jack blushed at the suggestion he was ashamed for what had happened last night. He stared at the plate before him, suddenly losing his appetite for the food before him.

"However, Master is not always inclined to share every detail of his personal life, nor does he inquire into the personal lives of others," Kellin remarked, "Master Chase will never inquire about personal details you do not wish to discuss."

"Where is Chase now?" Jack asked.

"He is in your study, speaking with your parents," Kellin replied, smirking slightly as he added, "Your father keeps raising his voice to the Master, but Master Chase is trying to reason with him. Every now and then, your mother will start shrieking hysterically, but then she starts whimpering. Obviously Master Chase has turned his glare on her."

"How do you know all that?" Jack asked curiously.

"I can hear it," Kellin replied, shrugging casually.

Jack strained his ears to hear, but he could not detect the slightest trace of his father's shouting voice or his mother's screeches. He assumed that, being a ghost, Kellin's sense of hearing would be attuned to picking up the sounds of other ghosts, and he dismissed the matter.

"Master Chase has ended the meeting," Kellin announced, "Your parents are not pleased, but they have agreed to let you make your own decisions without interference."

Jack gave an acknowledging nod, still staring at the plate. A moment later, he shivered slightly, feeling the presence of another ghost entering the kitchen. He did not have to look up to know it was Chase. The older man strode silently to his side, bending over Jack's chair to breathe in his ear, which sent shivers up Jack's spine.

"I see Kellin has been taking care of you," Chase commented in a low, almost purring voice; Jack could practically hear the smirk on his face. "But you haven't eaten. Is something troubling you?"

"You told them," Jack muttered quietly, "You told my parents about last night and what happened to us…"

"Of course I did," Chase replied, sounding slightly puzzled at the accusing tone in Jack's voice, "They would have found out eventually. I was just telling them up front so that they come to realize that they have no control over you anymore, nor do they have the power to argue against _us._"

At the emphasis Chase put on the last word, Jack shivered again. Despite being upset with Chase for revealing last night to his parents, Jack couldn't help a faint smile of pleasure at the thought. Chase's fingers gently but insistently prodded at the side of his chin, and he twisted in his chair to let Chase kiss him lightly, his eyes fluttering closed.

A soft chuckle from across the room caused Jack to open his eyes wide. Breaking away from the kiss, he blushed furiously when he realized that Kellin had been watching. The boy leaned back against the kitchen counter, arms folded and smirking in amusement. Chase narrowed his eyes at the younger ghost, which only caused Kellin's grin to broaden, before turning back to the blushing Jack.

"Pay him no mind," Chase said dismissively, "He is but a servant."

"I've _served_ you quite well over the years, Master," Kellin chuckled, a mischievous gleam in his eyes as he added emphasis to the word 'served'. Faking a wistful sigh, he added, "I guess my services will no longer be required, now that you've got Jack."

Jack blushed a deeper shade of crimson when he realized what Kellin was implying. Noticing his flustered state, both of the ghosts laughed softly. Chase rested his hands on Jack's flaming cheeks and kissed him again, deeper than the last time.

"Hey, Chase! Am I supposed to service Jack too?" Kellin crowed cheekily, grinning.

"If Jack wishes it," Chase replied, smiling as he pulled away.

"N-no thanks," Jack mumbled, still blushing and flustered, "I'm good."

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><p><span>I hope everyone's liking Kellin so far! He's such a cutie, I love writing about him! Even though this is the first story I've ever featured him in. XD Ravenshadow's gonna hate me for this. Kellin is an OC I created based upon my friend, who I will only refer to as Ravenshadow. I won't say how Kellin is based off of him. Just know that I was thinking about you while I wrote this, Raven! XD And for those of you who are worried that I've made Kellin into some sort of Mary Sue (a term for a character that's too good to be real, ex: too beautiful, too strong, too perfect), I have a very good excuse... You'll read about it in the next chapter.<span>


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